Preparing your glazing business for a week without the boss: how to have a stress-free summer vacation

Preparing your glazing business for a week without the boss: how to have a stress-free summer vacation

If you manage a small glazing business, perhaps one that you set up yourself, the idea of taking time off work can be more stressful than it's worth. If you're anxious about your upcoming summer vacation, we've compiled a few tips and techniques for both keeping your business running smoothly and ensuring you get a quality break.

Trust your team

If you're concerned about your team's ability or track record with decision making, ask yourself if you've really given them the opportunity to prove themselves? Often people rise to the occassion when they are given the chance and micromanaging can become a vicious cycle. By leaving them to it, you may find there are a few people in your glazing business who really shine under pressure and could be contributing more to your business on a regular basis.

Check out our blog post on improving employee engagement on a budget in your glazing business.

Getting the message across

If things don't go well in your absence, take time to reflect on your own communication skills. If they're having trouble following the instructions you left for them, don't assume the issue lies solely in their interpretation. Review the instructions and ask the team which areas they found difficult to understand and why.

Delegate, delegate, delegate

Over the years, you may have accummulated a wide range of responsibilities by default that could be delegated to other people in your business. Doing this a few weeks before you go away will give everyone time to adjust to the new procedure and work out the kinks.

Make it clear who is running the show in your absence — your team will benefit from having someone to report to and it's important that at least one person is looking at the big picture and ensuring jobs are moving through to completion.

Clear your head and look to the future

Often we get so caught up in the idea of maximizing productivity that we forget about the benefits of regular rest and relaxation. A vacation doesn't have to mean an expensive trip out of the country or to the coast, it can just be a week spent at home with the family or camping at a local spot. The important thing is to truly disconnect from your business during your time off and use that time to clear your head. You'll return to work feeling refreshed and ready to tackle anything!

Taking a break from the day-to-day minutiae of running your business is a great opportunity to think about the bigger picture and where you want your glazing business to go in the future. Problems that may have seemed impossible to solve may become clear with a bit of distance, and your brain will have space to come up with new ideas for the business.

Summary

In an ideal world, your business would continue to run as normal in your absence. However, should problems arise, treat them as an opportunity to address weaknesses and improve your business operations. If a full-blown vacation is too daunting to consider, try taking an afternoon off and disconnecting completely from the business and building up from there. Ideally you'll have vacations planned out well in advance anyway so you have ample time to prepare.

Everyone needs a break sometimes — including you! — so don't be afraid to unplug, step back and give yourself a chance to breathe. You may find yourself pleasantly surprised!

Resources

• 6 Productivity Tips to Keep Your Business Working When You’re Not
• Why Taking Time Off Is Time Well Spent
• 5 Things That Happen When You Unplug and Delegate